Speedy sponsorship receives a world-famous power boost

Three of the finest darts stars on the planet – including 15 time World Champion Phil Taylor – gave the UK’s leading equipment rental and support services provider the ultimate ‘Power’ boost when they stepped to the oche to unveil a prestigious sports sponsorship.

Speedy, the North West-based FTSE-listed business, are sponsoring the Speedy Hire UK Open and welcomed Taylor to their Newton-le-Willows headquarters, along with world number three Gary Anderson and former World BDO Champion Mark Webster.

The trio officially unveiled the sponsorship on Friday March 11 in a huge coup for the brand, ahead of the event itself at the Reebok Stadium in June.

Speedy will now activate their sponsorship of the tournament – known as “The FA Cup of Darts” – by offering 32 amateur players the chance to play their heroes in a unique opportunity for the sport.

Speedy will be giving budding throwers a genuine opportunity to play reigning UK Open champion Taylor, 2010 runner-up Anderson, two time PDC World Championship Semi-Finalist Webster and their rivals at the top of the professional game in front of millions of TV viewers in June’s Speedy Hire UK Open in Bolton.

Speedy’s group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: “We are thrilled to have forged this partnership with one of the UK’s most popular sports, and wanted to reflect our excitement with this unprecedented project.

“The Speedy Hire UK Open will be offering 32 staff and customers of all abilities the chance to compete in the event, which is widely regarded as “The FA Cup of Darts”.

“We are sprinkling even more magic into the format and are hoping that a Ronnie Radford moment might be around the corner.”

The Speedy Hire UK Open will take place from 2 to 5 June 2011 and Steve said that the sight of Speedy’s branding around the Reebok Stadium will represent the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the brand.

“This is one of the biggest projects that I have been involved with since arriving at the company last year.

“As former marketing director of Johnstone’s Paint, I know how much success can be leveraged from a robust sports sponsorship, so this is a partnership that really excites us all.”

PDC chairman Barry Hearn was delighted to welcome Speedy into the world of darts.

He said: “It is fantastic to have such a respected brand like Speedy on our roster.

“A lot of our audience are tradesmen and professional builders and installers, so if they haven’t heard of Speedy before the Speedy Hire UK Open, they should do afterwards.”

For more information about Speedy and its search for 32 darts players for the UK Open, click on www.speedyhiredarts.com

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Founded in 1977, Speedy is the leading UK provider of equipment rental and support services to a wide range of clients across the construction, infrastructure, industrial, manufacturing and facilities management sectors - as well as to local trades and industry.

Operating from over 325 fixed sites - together with a number of on-site facilities at client locations throughout the UK, Ireland and the Middle East - the company supplies a range of services including:

the provision of small tools and equipment
surveying and measurement instrumentation
lifting and materials handling equipment
powered and non-powered access equipment
temporary accommodation
compressed air
temporary power generation
mechanical pumps
temporary site communications

The Group also provides associated services through the provision of training, asset management and testing, repair, inspection and maintenance (TRIM), as well as offering advisory services in areas such as health and safety, environmental and regulatory compliance.

Website: http://www.speedyhire.com/

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) are the world’s leading promoters of professional darts tournaments, offering £5 million in prize money annually. June’s Speedy Hire UK Open televised finals will offer £200,000 in prize money, including £40,000 to the winner, and features the leading 96 professionals from the UK Open Order of Merit following eight Qualifiers held from February-May, alongside 64 Qualifiers, 32 of those from Speedy. The Speedy Hire UK Open will be screened live on Sky Sports HD from the Reebok Stadium.
Previous winners are Phil Taylor (2003, 2005, 2009, 2010), Roland Scholten (2004) Raymond van Barneveld (2006, 2007) and James Wade (2008)
Website: www.pdc.tv

GIRLS FOOTBALL TEAM SCORES WITH A CAPITOL SPONSORSHIP DEAL

A girl’s football team is celebrating after securing a hat-trick of sponsorship deals.

Mardy Tigers under 14s, 16s and 18s will be sponsored by Merthyr Tydfil’s Capitol Volkswagen

The deal concludes a successful year for the club after the under 16’s, won the Girl’s Welsh Cup.

As part of the sponsorship deal the Volkswagen retailer on Pentrebach Road in the town, supplied all three teams with tracksuits to wear on match days.


Wayne Jeremiah Mardy Tigers coach and secretary said: “It is fantastic to have secured sponsorship from Capitol Volkswagen. We are looking forward to continuing our recent success as way of thanking Capitol.

“The sponsorship enables the girls to have a team.”

Capitol Volkswagen’s brand manager, Gareth Cleverly said: “We are thrilled we can support the Mardy Tigers.”

“All the girls had a fantastic season and put in a lot of time and effort. Many staff watch the teams and cheered the girls to their recent victory.”

SPONSORSHIP BOOST FOR YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM

A Ipswich under 16s football team has kicked off the season in a brand new kit thanks to Wolsey Van Centre.

The Achilles under 16s team competes in the Ipswich and Suffolk Youth Football League and has secured the corporate sponsorship for a second season.

Wolsey Van Centre on Sproughton Road has provided the15-strong squad with its entire kit including shirts, shorts and socks.

Speaking of the new kits, team manager, Glenn Morgan said: “We are very grateful to Wolsey for their continual support.

“The new kit certainty helps to the make the team look and feel very professional.”

Wolsey Van Centre, head of business, David Nichols added: “The local community is very important to us and we will continue to show our support where we can.

“We would like to wish the team the very best of luck for the season.”

For more information contact Sue Foster on 01902 714 957 or email sue@connect-group.com.

BANGOR CITY SECURE RENEWED SPONSORSHIP

Bangor City is celebrating on and off the field after securing a sponsorship deal for this season.

The club’s kit will continue to be sponsored by local Volkswagen Van Centre, Pentraeth, for the second year running.

It gives the club a double boost following the record-breaking start to the season, with nine straight wins.

The sponsorship gives Bangor City a solid financial base, providing the perfect platform to a successful season on the pitch.

Dilwyn Jones, Bangor City’s chairman, said: “We’re delighted to have secured this continued and important sponsorship with Pentraeth Volkswagen and look forward to some exciting times this season.

“It’s great to have a major local business supporting the club as it helps give Bangor City a higher profile amongst the core fan base in the region.

“This is an exciting time for the club, with an extended European adventure, a club record start to the season and we hope the continued link with Pentraeth will help us continue to reach new goals.”

Pentraeth Volkswagen Van Centre’s managing director, Ken Jones, said: “We believe it’s important to support the local area and Bangor City Football Club is an integral part of this region.

“Many people at Pentraeth are fans of the club so we’re able to support Bangor City financially and physically.

“With such a fantastic start to the season everyone has their fingers crossed for a successful campaign and another piece of silverware like last year.”

NEW SPONSORSHIP FOR JUNIOR FOOTBALL TEAM

The under 13’s squad at Glendowan FC in West Belfast will kick off this season in the Northern Ireland Boys Football Association National League with a brand new corporate sponsorship.

Isaac Agnew Volkswagen is getting behind the team as it enters the elite national league for the first time.

Last season the team remained unbeaten winning the treble in last seasons Belfast & East Antrim Invitational Youth League, taking home the league cup, plate and league title. The impressive performance led to the squads’ invitation to join the national league.

The Volkswagen car retailer, with showrooms in Belfast and Newtownabbey, is providing the 18-strong team with its entire kit, water carriers and training cones.

The team believes its new sponsorship will add to its energy and performance for this season as manager, Paul Delaney, explains.

He said: “The team has strengthened over the recent months and is striving to go one better this season.

“Our new status in the national league requires us to travel up to 70 miles to Saturday match, which can become very costly. So we are very grateful to Isaac Agnew for all their support, and very proud to be associated with such a prestigious brand.

Our new status means we will be playing against Northern Irelands’ professional club’s junior academy teams, so it will be hard work for a small club like Glendowan, but with the support of Isaac Agnew we relish the challenge.” concluded paul.

Speaking of the team’s success, Isaac Agnew’s Managing Director, Brian Robinson, said: “We are very happy to sponsor this up and coming junior team and feel it’s important to support the local community.

“We are delighted with their success and wish them the very best of luck of this season.”

For more information contact Sue Foster or Becki Oake on 01902 714 957 or email sue@connect-group.com / becki@connect–group.com